gustar
/goos-TAR/
to like
Gustar often means "to like," expressing a preference for things or activities.
gustar(verb)
to like
?Expressing preference for things or activities
,to be pleasing to
?Literal meaning, explaining the unique grammar
to enjoy
?Referring to an experience or activity
📝 In Action
Me gusta mucho el chocolate.
A1I really like chocolate. (Literally: Chocolate is very pleasing to me.)
Nos gustan las películas de acción.
A1We like action movies. (The verb 'gustan' is plural because 'películas' is plural.)
¿Te gusta viajar a otros países?
A2Do you like traveling to other countries?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Backwards' Verb Rule
Unlike English, the person doing the liking is not the main subject. The thing being liked is the subject, and the verb must agree with it. Use 'gusta' for singular things/activities, and 'gustan' for plural things.
The Required 'Me/Te/Le' Structure
You MUST use the small pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to show who is doing the liking. This pronoun is essential and cannot be dropped.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Yo gusto' to say 'I like'
Mistake: "Yo gusto el café."
Correction: Me gusta el café. (The correct way is 'The coffee is pleasing to me.')
Forgetting the Plural Form
Mistake: "Me gusta los perros."
Correction: Me gustan los perros. (Since 'perros' is plural, the verb must be 'gustan.')
⭐ Usage Tips
Clarifying 'Le' or 'Les'
Because 'le' (him/her/it/you formal) and 'les' (them/you plural) can be ambiguous, use 'A' followed by the name or pronoun (e.g., 'A Juan le gusta') to make it clear who you mean.
Although less common than probar, gustar can mean "to taste" or sample food.
gustar(verb)
to taste
?To sample food or drink (less common than probar)
,to appeal to
?To attract attention or interest
📝 In Action
El chef quería gustar el plato a los comensales.
B1The chef wanted the dish to appeal to the diners.
No pude gustar el vino antes de comprarlo.
B2I couldn't taste the wine before buying it.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Use
In this meaning, 'gustar' often works like a normal verb where the person doing the action (tasting/sampling) is the subject, though it can still be used in the inverted structure when meaning 'to appeal to'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use 'Probar' for Tasting
While 'gustar' can mean 'to taste,' 'probar' is far more common when you mean 'to sample a small amount of food or drink.'
When used reflexively, gustar means "to like each other" or have reciprocal liking.
gustar(verb)
to like each other
?Reciprocal liking or attraction
,to be attractive
?Referring to physical appeal or desirability
📝 In Action
Ellos se gustan desde hace meses, pero nadie se lo dice.
B2They have liked each other for months, but no one tells them.
Cuando uno se gusta, irradia confianza.
C1When one likes oneself (is confident), one radiates confidence.
💡 Grammar Points
Reciprocal Action
When used with 'se' in the plural (se gustan), it means the feeling is returned: 'They like each other' or 'They find each other attractive.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Self-Confidence
Using 'gustarse a sí mismo/a' is a common way to talk about self-esteem or self-love.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: gustar
Question 1 of 2
Which Spanish sentence correctly translates 'I like apples'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'gustar' seem to work backwards compared to 'to like' in English?
It's because 'gustar' literally means 'to be pleasing to.' So, instead of saying 'I like coffee,' Spanish says, 'Coffee is pleasing to me.' This is why the verb form changes based on the thing you like, not the person.
If I want to say 'We liked the food yesterday,' how do I use the past tense?
You use the preterite tense, which describes a single completed action. Since 'food' is singular, you would say: 'Nos gustó la comida ayer.' (The food was pleasing to us yesterday.)